A Magical Place
by problemPerson
Summary: Magic AU. Hikigaya Hachiman is an unambitious professor, Yukinoshita Yukino is an untrusting heiress.


"So, is that it?"

"That is _it_."

"It doesn't look very smart."

"It isn't."

"You brought me here for this?"

"Hikigaya-kun," she distracted herself from the terror in front of us for a second, "your leave of senses comes last in the order of our problems here. Do us all a favour and shut up."

"Yes, right, yeah … why am I here again?"

"You left your memory along with your cognition at home, Hikigaya-kun?"

"No, I just -"

It would have been a good sporting lesson for superhero-wannabe kids. As for me—

"I'm just a university professor! What am I supposed to do here?"

"Do us all a favour and shut up."

"You already said that."

"Hikigaya-kun," she looked calm even on the verge of losing her temper, "my mind is presently _very_ occupied with what is in front of us, and I absolutely cannot—"

What she could not do we never came to know (though it is difficult to believe there are things Yukinoshita Yukino cannot do), for we were thrown backwards by a sudden shock wave. The culprit here, as well as the focus of our attentions for the last fifteen minutes, was a dark storm monster (for want of better words) that stretched from the ground to the sky.

Let me take a break and explain while we are all in free fall (backwards), for there must be a logical explanation as to why, your friendly neighbourhood loner-man, is in the eye of such a storm.

* * *

I was enjoying a leisurely evening in Zaimokuza's restaurant, alone (obviously), but with the best dinner in Chiba for company (I don't read magazine restaurant reviews, for I believe what is your food, is _your_ food). Alone, because we always neglect to include The Manager in our count, even if said manager is your high-school friend and chunni-comrade-in-arms, who always gives you a discount.

"… except for how the volume ended, it was a masterpiece in every sense of the word. So, since you say that you have the next volume …"

I gave a non-committal shrug, and concentrated on attacking the last morsel on my plate.

"You will get it the next time, yes?"

"Hm." Ah, it was finally over, the feast of a century (a week).

There was a pause, where I collected my thoughts (world peace), and he collected his (the upcoming anime season).

"So, Hachiman, I have been receiving enquiries for you."

"You cannot set me up again; you had your laugh the last time."

"That wasn't—I am not—this time—"

He needs an extra moment to collect his thoughts.

"She came looking for you."

"Who?" She?

"She claimed that she had looked you up in the university, but as you rarely give anyone the time of your day—"

Is that what they say about me, those crazy midgets? Really, if you apply simple thinking to sort out a few students' problems, they turn you into Professor of the Year by Popular Choice three years in a row (the trophies decorate my one-room flat in prime viewing positions).

"So it's official. I have a student fan-girl." No, this won't turn out like a shojo manga.

Zaimokuza looked at me incredulously, then at the door, where a customer had (presumably) entered. Because it is impossible for Zaimokuza to look incredulous for any extended duration of time: that role is reserved only for me.

"She isn't a student at any rate. And you had better be polite about her."

"Not like she can hear me."

"In fact she can."

I stared at him, for one-and-a-half seconds, then turned my head so fast I got a crick.

Zaimokuza gave a most unusual introduction. "This, Hikigaya Hachiman, is Yukinoshita Yukino-san, and she hardly is your average stalking fan-girl."

* * *

After pleasantries had been settled with, Zaimokuza left us in peace (was dispensed with, after his flattering introduction).

She was content sipping a cold coffee, and like anyone dining out, I took a beer. Unfortunately, I happen to be rather lightweight, but I had to maintain appearances in front of a (potential) fan-girl whose heart I would break. I was searching for an appropriate location to dump my full glass discreetly, when she spoke first.

"I have heard a lot about you, Hikigaya-kun."

"Zaimokuza told me that, but I already have a job."

"And why would you believe that I had a job offer for you?"

'You don't seem the fan-girl type' would have invited the Zaimokuza treatment (I don't want to be dumped out like trash). Also, she was rather cute—cuter than average, you may say—and my Hachiman-ism compels me to always read between the lines of a cute girl's intentions.

"Because you are not a selling anything; besides, sales-persons would hardly be that motivated to follow me from university to this place."

She raised her eyebrows and placed her empty cup on the table. I did likewise, my beer (untouched) on the table, ready for a showdown (nah, it definitely won't be that dramatic).

"You are an interesting person, Hikigaya-kun."

"I already—"

"You cover your dead-fish eyes behind cheap glasses."

"That—"

"You build an air of mystery for your students by working only from the shadows."

"I was rewarded—"

"You don't do evenings-with-colleagues, you do evenings-alone."

"Now, here—"

"And you are content wasting your talents as a teacher when you could have gone so much further."

"Hey," I was unsure whether to take that as a compliment, "give me two seconds, will you."

"It took you only one to determine I wasn't a sales-person."

"It was observation and conclusion."

"You should apologise to all sales-persons in Chiba—no, the world."

"I am not that arrogant to believe they give two bits about me."

"Yes, arrogance isn't your forte."

"I know. I am quite humble."

"Someone who says that is undeniably lying."

Then it struck me. Beauty, plus brains, plus—

"Yukinoshita … san," I hastily amended. She raised her eyebrows.

"Yes?"

"You're the younger one." Her calm expression turned to a frown.

"Yes, though how–"

"I have met your sister before. At a university event."

"And?"

Your sharp wit is better than her twisted sense of humour.

"She _is_ the perfect person … for some people."

Yukinoshita Yukino did not need a further hint.

"Your pitiful eyes are worth something after all."

"Get over my eyes."

"Ah, then, what about—"

I chuckled. She was heir to a half of a company that owned half the Magic Artefact Rights in Japan, I was a lonely university professor who only aimed to wade with whatever the current there was, yet, I had _that_ feeling _._ That feeling that no matter who or what we were, where or when we met, we would have got along just fine.

"What is so funny, Hikigaya-kun?"

"Just wondering about the person-space-time conundrum."

"And that means what exactly—never mind." She looked around the restaurant, but most diners had already left for greener pastures (read: other drinking stations), and the sole guy behind the counter had dozed off (note to Zaimokuza, that).

"I did not come here to discuss how your imperfections are a blot to the earth, interesting though that may be," she took a moment, apparently savouring the insult, "but for a matter of professional interest."

"One: I already have a job. Two: my job is too boring for anyone to get interested about it, professional or otherwise."

"Your boring job is what I'm interested in."

"It isn't just boring, it's mundane."

"Even that I have an interest in."

"Seriously, I cannot describe in words how dull it is to teach the kids the same pile of words year after year."

"You also research in Basic Magical Theory, right?"

"There are specialists in whatever you need me for."

"Precisely why I need someone with a broad idea on all the key components, rather that someone with a narrow vision."

"You own a big place, Yukinoshita, and I'm sure there will be someone who can work out things for you."

"I do not exactly—represent my company here."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I came of my own accord. The company is split on whether to call in outside help, and there is little time for negotiations."

As far as I understand, these things involve a lot of give-and-take, something that iron-fisted company owners (next gen Yukinoshitas) are hardly experienced to handle.

"And you expect a complete outsider, an ill-suited one at that, to solve a problem no one else can."

"Yes." She looked so innocently calm at that moment, that any inclination to laugh quickly died in my throat.

"You are putting your weight in the company on the line."

"So I am."

"You trust me with that? Why?"

"Because," she folded her arms on the table and leaned forward in earnest, "I trust a person who told me to put blind faith in your skills."

So Hachiman-ism is a religion now?

I put my curiosity on hold for a moment and considered before giving my final reply, "There is a lecture on Basic Magical Theory at nine in the morning. Determine how good I am before telling me what you need me for."

Because once you tell me, I will be obliged to help you no matter what. And I do not wish you regretting it later.

"Sensible of you, Hikigaya-kun." She flashed me a quick smile that sent my brain into a tizzy, and I looked down to see by any chance had I taken any of the alcohol.

Of course I hadn't.

* * *

"All magic draws strength from the fundamental constants of nature: space, reality, and power, sometimes using time or mind. You must be aware of how their placements in different geometric constructs lends them varying properties, which we use as spells. For example, a single loop construct with power constant gives us an incredibly strong rope, the kind you see in construction places all around here …"

She had taken in the centre of the first row. That doesn't point you out as a diligent student; it makes you a target of all teachers' attacks.

Then again, with the rest of the class devoted to different degrees of daydreams, I was not one to complain. She was a cute centre of attraction, even if it was a distraction.

"To activate a spell, the general method is to clasp your hands in front of the construct, and pray to whoever you want. Then again, your other classes will deal with all this in depth, so I will discuss the theoretical points for the rest of your course …"

She smiled; lame though it may have been, it was the first time in my three-year teaching career that someone had noticed it, let alone taken humour out of it. This was turning out rather strange …

"Specialized fields require mastering one or more fundamentals, for example, computing and informatics is largely driven by mind-construct spells. Of course, what fundamental constant you are good at is related to your natural affinity as well as the amount of effort you put into it …"

Star professors encourage questions at the end of a class to stimulate students' thinking, mediocre professors encourage questions at the end of a class to reassure themselves. Average guys like me don't bother. The fact that my subject is terribly boring, yet mandatory for all Magic courses makes it the bane of all students' existence. You cannot overthink in a class about alphabets when you are learning Shakespeare.

"Your class was extraordinary."

"I was not fishing for compliments, but thanks."

"Extraordinary in a self-centred way."

"Not a compliment, then?"

"You teach as if your heart is into it and your mind is running places."

"I don't do poetry."

"And you are none the better for it."

"I talk in simple words and teach only simple stuff."

"You are a simple person, Hikigaya-kun," she sighed, "when you have so much potential."

You are making me feel like a dim light bulb.

"But you are well suited for my work."

Very well then.

* * *

"In other words, you gave a tornado brains, eh?"

"Simple thoughts for a simple mind, now I see."

Hey, there is no need to insult simple thinking. It is easier to find a needle on paper than a haystack.

She paused for a moment. "It was developed as a self-sustaining energy source that went rogue. Since different collaborators imbued different magical constructs in it, we are finding it very hard to deactivate—"

"So the bad weather is your fault?"

"It is draining energy from the sun and the clouds after its escape, and may explode once it reaches a limit. And we are no closer to shutting it down now than we were two weeks ago."

"What do you want my help for, then?"

"I want you to look at all the magical constructs that we put in it, and tell us how to counter it."

"Shouldn't magical trouble-shooters be working on it?"

"They are badly stuck, and they will appreciate fresh input." She paused. "And I am sure you will like them."

* * *

The development wing at Yukinoshitas' was larger than the whole place I worked at. Seriously, Hiratsuka-sensei had been complaining about how we could not carry out carry out large-scale projects with the proverbial knife, while these guys had the entire armoury at their disposal. And a lot of brain power.

Presently though, trouble-shooters were swarming about like cats among pigeons, so everyone seemed on edge. I was introduced to a guy called Tobe, then Yukinoshita left me in his care (at his mercy).

"So, Hikitani-kun," he flashed me a bright smile (the 'I only met you but it feels like we have been friends forever' smile) "what do you wanna see?"

Preferably, not you for the rest of the day.

"Whatever spell constructs all the teams put into it, along with whatever counters they came up against them."

"And strawberry shake?"

"Allergic to strawberry." The guy even had strawberry shades in his hair.

"Oh –"

After I had rejected a lot of proposals ranging from lemonade to cold coffee, Tobe decided I had lived my last life meditating in the mountains, and left me to my means. The stacks of data in front of me were complex as anything and the last thing I needed was a friendly colleague who you couldn't agree _or_ argue with.

* * *

In the end however, my hard work, passion and diligence were all in vain (I never hesitate to emphasise my contribution to society, 'cause loners are all too prone to be pushed to the side). Two hours later, there was an emergency announcement that went as: "All trouble-shooters, police personnel and any volunteers are expected to gather at the front entrance. We have an emergency situation."

Calling volunteers meant the storm was about to blow in. They would need to evacuate the residential areas. I stretched to get feeling back into my limbs, then gathered my stuff and headed towards the exit. I felt more like an office slave worker now than ever principally because: a, I hadn't achieved any productive result even after toiling hard, b, there would be no appreciation (emotional or material) for me when I headed home.

Also, Hikigaya Hachiman doesn't volunteer (corollary from 'I am a loner').

That said, the fates had been decidedly wretched with me since the previous evening, and I ran into my boss (Yukinoshita) as I was about to leave home.

"There you are Hikigaya-kun. I have been looking all over for you."

Without preamble, she started pulling me towards the crowd for the front entrance. Excuse me while I think up a third reason for my sympathy towards an average office slave worker: overtime without pay.

"Yukinoshita-san, I regret to inform you that I achieved nothing in the last two hours. There is nothing new I can think of that your people wouldn't have tried by now, so dragging me along would be futile …"

My mumbled apologies fell on deaf ears as I was pulled vehemently toward the stream of people now at the front entrance. Once we reached a relatively open area, Yukinoshita paused to catch her breath, while I tried to find my voice.

"The magical entity has enough magic that it can now materialize. This happened faster than we expected. Residents of the areas are being evacuated, and trouble-shooters have gathered there, but we still have no idea what we'll do."

"There is really nothing I can think of, Yukinoshita-san."

We stood there, her blue eyes on mine for several seconds, and neither of us looked away.

"It is okay, Hikigaya-kun. You had hours while the others had weeks."

"That seems like a paltry excuse for all you did to bring me here."

"The only reason for bringing you at the last moment, Hikigaya-kun," she looked like she was trying to speak against better reason, "was that I knew you were the one person who would think of destroying the thing before thinking of saving it, like the others have been doing here."

"Because I am a lazy bum, and destroying is easier than saving?"

She nodded. "That is part of the reason."

I couldn't recount another time when 'extremely lazy' in your job description got you selected.

"It isn't possible to save it. After all this time out of your laboratories, it has just turned into wild, untameable magic."

She nodded again. "The directors don't believe that, and mother and sister …" She now shook her head towards a different person who was leading the police and trouble-shooters.

"That is Hayama Hayato. My mother trusts him with it."

I could only make out blonde hair, but in my mind's eye I could picture a winning smile and a charm that exuded confidence. Then I made a snap decision.

"Alright, I'll come with you."

She looked very grateful for that.

* * *

The magical cloud-slash-storm at the centre of the party looked more like a mass of dark mist than anything else. Otherwise, it did the usual lightning flashes and loud thunder number. Also shock waves (the street was littered with broken glass). And a tornado (cars were being thrown apart like toys).

"So is that it?"

"That is _it_."

"It doesn't look very smart." Apart from busting the street, bashing bulidings and ripping up cars, it hadn't done anything intelligently destructive. The weather was terribly cloudy though.

"It isn't." Even in the face of the storm in front of her, she was remarkably collected. But it was really scary. That it was growing in size was the even more depressing part.

"The reality-constant cage construct should hold it in for now, though if it absorbs magic even from _that_ …" I glanced at her. She was staring fixedly at it, like it had been the one to gate-crash her only kid's birthday party (my mom is ferocious, Komachi is her only child, I didn't get her a present for her tenth birthday, you get the idea). "You brought me here for this?"

"Hikigaya-kun," she distracted herself from the terror in front of us for a second, "your leave of senses comes last in the order of our problems here. Do us all a favour and shut up."

* * *

I picked myself up from the ground—after recollecting the last twenty-four hours, of course—and found myself staring into the eyes of an angel.

"Are you alright, sir?"

The desire to snap vanished, and I looked away from her unwillingly. I had places to go, people to meet, and – "Where's Yukinoshita?"

She was being helped up to her feet by an infuriatingly charming Hayama Hayato, and I wondered for a second how someone could smile in a situation like that. Then maybe he would say "Are you alright?" in a sickeningly sweet voice and the heroine would swoon, and we all would wipe away our tears of happiness.

Point: the heroine here is Yukinoshita, who pulled back her hands at once. She looked about for me, ignoring Hayama's concerns, and said, "we should fall back", which I felt was the most sensible thought she had uttered in a day.

Hayama looked at me questioningly, but I skipped the introductions. "What will you do now?"

He slightly inclined his head and said, "We are strengthening the cage around this place, so it won't spread further from here. We have a few ideas about how to control it, we'll implement them as soon as evacuation is complete."

"That thing cannot be controlled, so you might better try to destroy it."

He raised his eyebrows. "I am not sure you understand. That is a remarkable discovery that will change the world. There will be no loss of life, and the Yukinoshita Company has decided to compensate all material losses."

"Whose company? Mine, right?" Yukinoshita spoke up.

Hayama did not face her, but continued speaking to me. "The management board led by Yukinoshita Haruno came to that decision. As their legal representative here, I am obliged to follow their will."

He then faced her and said smoothly, "Please step back. It would hurt me if anything happened to you, Yukino-chan." With that, he moved away, taking all the trouble-shooters with him.

I sighed, then pulled Yukinoshita by her arm backwards, towards the cage's boundaries. I dared not look at her expression, and she wasn't resisting my pull. Then I saw that her palm was abraded.

"That is nothing, Hikigaya-kun," she said, when I made to closely examine it. Not satisfied, I pulled her into an empty medical van and shut the door to cut us off from all the activity outside. We had a relative silence while I used time-magic to heal her abrasion.

"I am sorry you had to witness the scene outside, Hikigaya-kun."

"That wouldn't make it to my list of top fifty most embarrassing things that happened to me."

She gave a quiet chuckle. "Now what wouldn't I give to get my hands on that list."

"It's in a place no one but I can go."

"Your apartment, I presume."

"Now why would you assume that my apartment is not fit for people?"

"Because it is _your_ apartment, Hiki-gaeru-kun."

Any other person saying that to me after a day of acquaintanceship would be unbelievable, but for some reason, I returned her smile.

"Your time magic is impressive Hikigaya-kun, I would never have thought you capable of that."

"I have a doctorate for time-based constructs in organic matter."

"And yet you insist on being a history teacher, when you could have been a bigwig in magical transport."

"This from a mega-corporation heiress who doesn't trust her own people."

We smiled at each other and I was forcibly reminded of our camaraderie the first time we had met. I guessed spending the rest of this field trip like this wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

Pro loners believe that there are some things worth taking to the grave, because they know betrayal is the knife that cuts sharpest. Never do most of them imagine that they would willingly open up that one thing because of someone who they met only a day before.

An hour of companionable silence and some deep thinking later, we were rudely interrupted by the trouble-shooters, who wanted us to move the van backwards. Yukinoshita, unsurprisingly unimpressed, started to confront them. I could only pity the poor fellow on whom her wrath had fallen, for when she was finished, he had conceded that by then, everyone was clueless on what their plan of action would be. Even Hayama Hayato and his band of knights (he deserves that title) were spending their efforts on reinstating the magical cage that had been peeled off and fed upon by the storm monster. The monster in question now stretched from the ground to such a height that it was impossible to say where it ended and where the cloudy sky started.

"This is a mess," Yukinoshita smartly concluded. "Before long, our only option would be to level this place with a power magic bomb, the nuclear variety."

"It may absorb even that."

"It may be too much to absorb."

"You watched too many cartoons as a child."

"I freely admit to that, Hikigaya-kun."

I put my hands in front of me, making my fingers into sort of a camera. Then I scaled the tiny dots of humans fighting that monster that was exploding out of the screen of my finger-camera.

"What are you up to?" she asked as if fearful of my sanity.

"I can stop it. The problem is if _they_ will let me."

"If you can stop it, Hikigaya-kun, I will lend you a hand in stopping _them_."

So we drove the van right into the battlefield. With me driving and Yukinoshita's shield, we made it to Hayama Hayato, who was furiously swiping his magic into the storm monster without any apparent result.

"Yukinoshita-san!" he shouted over the howling wind. "This is not the time to—"

I felt that this was about the only time I would see him without that photogenic smile. I next looked at Yukinoshita, who silently indicated 'go'. I lingered for a moment, wanting to preserve that moment of my life for eternity, where I, a pragmatic lone wolf, would step into the den of uncertainty, because I trusted someone as much as, if not more than, I trusted myself.

Then I ran. Running head on into it was the only way I'd get close enough, I figured, as any magic I used would be absorbed into it. I had feared getting hit by a stray spell from a trouble-shooter, but I glanced backwards to see an ice wall forming that would eventually block me out from them.

Nicely done, Yukinoshita-san.

The nearer I got, the stronger it pulled me. I got so close that any closer would turn me to shreds, a result I was keen on avoiding.

I clasped my hands together.

The human soul is the start of all magic; and there only can it end. You can only open up your soul if you trust someone else completely.

With that thought in mind, I closed my eyes.

* * *

Later, the press had the time of their life ripping through the Yukinoshitas' public relations' department. Lots of money was sunk, and lots of jobs were lost, though Hayama Hayato wasn't one of them. I was disgruntled.

"Though there has been a definite loss in credibility, both for him, and my sister," Yukinoshita informed me one fine evening at my favourite restaurant.

"You gained weight in that sense," I noted dutifully, "'it was the younger Yukinoshita's profound observation that stopping magical input would cause the unsightly demon to explode' was what one of the articles said. Even if there are a lot of loose ends with that."

"No loose end greater than the one sitting in front of me, Hikigaya-kun."

"Don't feel offended, my profound observation was the same as yours."

"You insult my intelligence, Hikigaya-kun. I would at least know the difference whether magic has been done or not. Judging by the orange halo that surrounded the storm seconds before its disappearance, I can very well hazard a guess."

"You think I did something no one in your genius team could, eh?"

"We both know you aren't incapable of that."

"Who is this big mouth that keeps telling you I am the next Nobel Prize for Greatness awardee?"

"She is my secretary. She said she knows you, though you would hardly remember her."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I would love to introduce you, Hikigaya-kun, if you would accompany me to Hayama Hayato-kun's celebration party this weekend."

I stared at her innocent expression without a trace of mischief. I meant to ask her if it really was a—

"How can you _celebrate_ complete, all-round failure?"

—party.

"It is meant to be a thank-you for everyone who worked hard the past two weeks. Indeed, his mind works in ways that yours never can."

I supposed she was complimenting me in a back-handed manner, 'cause I doubt there is a single person out there who would want a piece of his mind (no pun).

We spent another few minutes in silence, before she said, "I never thanked you for everything you did, even if you didn't get any of the credit."

I raised my hand up to strike a cool pose, but she laughed. "Regardless of everything else, I am very glad to have met you, Hikigaya-kun."

Needless to say, I was glad too.


End file.
